


He Knows

by HueyDeweyLouise



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: (I'd like to think she's missing, Angst, But None Ever Occurs, Even Off-Screen, Frank Discussion About Death, Gen, Hawk Moth is Gabriel Agreste, Hawkmoth Finds Out, Identity Reveal, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Mama Agreste Is Dead, Misogyny, Not Missing, Not Season/Series 02 Compliant, POV Multiple, Partial Identity Reveal, Sad with a Happy Ending, Teen Angst, but it doesn't work here), mostly happy, optimistic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 02:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9214850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HueyDeweyLouise/pseuds/HueyDeweyLouise
Summary: It's all falling apart for Marinette. Her carefully crafted house of cards is going to fall - all because of a stupid attendance record letter. But that's not the worst part.Hawkmoth now knows who she is.It's going to take more than luck and a miracle to get out of this one.Or maybe just Adrien.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is from Marinette's POV. The second one is from Adrien, etc. The order of chapters is chronological, so they're not all the same length given who I give point of view to and how long.

It started when Tom asked her to help close up shop.

“Marinette, when you finish packaging those loaves, can you meet me in the kitchen? Your mother and I have something to discuss with you.”

“Sure, Papa,” Marinette answers distractedly before his tone registers through her scatterbrain.

Something to discuss could mean anything really, and that’s the worst part. Marinette knows her grades are slipping due to her nightly activities but she can always pass that off as teenage rebellion ... or something. Right?

Marinette finishes boxing up the day’s leftover bread for donation tomorrow morning. When the box is taped up and stashed away, she takes a deliberate slow breath to brace herself for whatever is to come. She’s faced akumas without fear. Her parents will still love her, whatever this is.

“Come on, Tikki,” Marinette whispers, not bothering to watch the red blur dash from the warm cupboard by the oven into her ubiquitous purse. She glances over the bakery once to make sure everything is properly locked, and turns out the lights before heading upstairs.

She finds her parents seated together on one side of their little four-person dining table. Her mother is fingering a piece of paper; it looks sort of like a letter. They may not have been talking audibly when Marinette walked into the room, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t communicating. Because they were definitely communicating. With their eyes. 

Marinette sits across from them in her usual chair without being asked and it creaks when she settles back.

Sabine starts.

“We got a letter yesterday from Principal Damocles, Marinette.” She’s taken the tone of voice that usually means _I’m not angry with you but you should be worried_. When Marinette chooses to wait it out, Sabine adds, “He’s notifying us that you missed all the akuma check-ins last month, and that you’ve been late to first period more often than you’ve been on time.”

When Marinette still says nothing, now staring at the floor, Tom adds, “You know that because the bakery starts early that we don’t have the chance to hound you out of bed every morning. We know we raised you to be better about this. Being on time is a sign of respect.”

Tom looks to Sabine, “Which also means we know you wouldn’t be running late so often unless something was bothering you.”

They wait for her here. When no answer is forthcoming (what can she say, _I stay up late for patrols and later for homework because, oh yeah, I’m Ladybug!)_ , her parents give each other another significant glance.

“Is something bothering you, Marinette?” Sabine asks, quietly, without any of the edge of earlier.

Marinette shakes her head and stares at the floor.

“Boy trouble?” Tom asks, almost jokingly, and Marinette unthinkingly lifts her head to glare at her father.

Big mistake.

Tom leans back in his chair, surprised. Sabine asks, “If it’s-”

“It’s not boy trouble,” Marinette bites out. Tikki bumps her hand through the purse, a silent plea to tread lightly. “Homework has just been a lot lately, and with all the akuma attacks I’ve just felt... stressed.” Which is close to the truth, but stressed is not nearly strong enough of a word. 

“That’s...” Tom leans forward over the table again, not realizing his looming only puts Marinette more on the defensive, “actually, what I’m most worried about. The akuma attacks are nothing to sneeze at, Marinette. If you’re not with the class during an attack, you’re not nearly as safe as you could be. And we know you’re not here with us. So where...”

“I know they’re dangerous Papa. I’m being safe.”

Sabine reaches across the table for her daughter’s hand. “We just want to make sure that nothing will happen to you. You’re the most important thing in our world. If you get hurt helping Alya with her blog, or-” 

“I’m not helping Alya, Maman.” Marinette could have lied, but then she’d have to convince Alya as well, and that’s a much worse can of worms.

“Marinette,” Tom asks as sternly as a pun-loving baker can ask, “where do you go during the attacks?”

Marinette racks her brain for a way out of this one. “The bathroom?” she says tentatively. “I thought it might be safer than staying with the group.”

“Try again,” Tom says without skipping a beat.

“I’m never hurt!” Marinette pleads, “I always come back to class if there’s more class for the day! Why does it matter if I miss the check-ins?”

Marinette feels Tikki bump against her hand again. This time, she separates the clasp to glance down at her Kwami.

Her Kwami, who bears a resigned expression on her face. 

Marinette starts to tear up. Her whole house of cards is falling around her. She _never_ wanted to lie to her parents. It’s enough that she feels like she can’t give her all at school. She doesn’t even have the time for her designs anymore, relegated to just doodling in her school workbooks.

The bone-deep exhaustion is wearing at her. She’s disappointed in herself for not being able to do it all, even when she knows it’s not possible.

And even if the little god doesn’t show it, she knows her Kwami is disappointed in her too.

Truthfully, she had totally forgotten about the after-attack check ins. They’re used to make sure students don’t skip class because of an attack, but they’re near impossible to keep up with as Ladybug. Teachers call roll right after the Miraculous Cure, and it takes time for Marinette to get back to school, detransform, and feed Tikki, all without being seen or followed.

Marinette feels the first hot tear travel down her cheek, and turns back to her parents.

She wishes she saw only sympathy in their eyes, but there’s suspicion there too.

“Why do you have to lie to us?” Tom asks quietly, as if he’s mindful of upsetting her, not realizing that the _why_ is _exactly_ what is making Marinette so... _mad._

“ _I have to,”_ She bites out. “I can’t... I’ll try and do better, I promise, just...”

“Sweetheart, we just want to understand...”

“You _can’t_ Maman! _No one understands_ and I have to deal with it and be strong even if I don’t want to because _I_ was chosen and _I_ don’t get to choose anymore.” 

Tom’s brows furrow in confusion, but Marinette doesn’t notice. “Chosen, what chosen, Marinette, this isn’t-”

Sabine realizes that her daughter is hurting, and tries to postpone the conversation, but is drowned out by Marinette’s nervous rambling and Tom’s increasingly loud questions. 

“I don’t want to disappoint you, I’m already falling behind in class-”

“What don’t you get to choose, Marinette? Your life is-” 

“And too tired all the time to really help my friends with-”

“Enough!” A fourth voice interrupts, too high to be human.

Marinette gasps through her tears. “Tikki, No...” she whispers, and looks down into Tikki’s determined blue eyes.

“Trust me, and transform. Everything will be okay.”

Marinette feels like she watches the next ten minutes through a pane of frosted glass, barely grasping the shapes of what happens. She transforms without flair in quick, sharp movements. Her parents are struck dumb by the change. Tom says nothing, kicks his chair out behind him as he stands, and marches away. Sabine tries to reassure Marinette, gives her a quick hug that Marinette does not return, and tells her that they’ll be talking about this again tomorrow when tensions are not so high before following after her distraught husband.

Not for the first time, Ladybug climbs the Dupain-Cheng stairs. Not for the first time, Marinette cries herself to sleep with Tikki nestled in her hair.

 

* * *

 

The next morning is not much better. Marinette wakes bleary-eyed and quiet to Tikki’s subtle shaking. She never set an alarm.

“It will be okay, Marinette. I just know it. They need a little time, that’s all.”

“You told me never to tell them, Tikki,” Marinette whispers, brushing out her tangled hair. “You told me I’d put them in danger.”

“Yes, but we don’t know that yet, Marinette. Focus on school today, and we can tell your parents the whole story tonight, okay?” Marinette puts the brush down. “Okay?” Tikki repeats, floating to face her charge. 

“They don’t trust me anymore. They’ll want me to stop being Ladybug. And I can’t-”

“Shh...” Tikki bumps Marinette’s nose in an effort to calm her. “It will be alright. One step at a time.”

Marinette slips her half-finished homework into her bag and creeps silently down the stairs. She can hear the bakery bustling already, so she slips out the back door without a word.

At school, Alya takes one look at her face and gives her a crushing hug. When Marinette shakes her head in response to the unasked questions, Alya respects it. Alya respects her even when Marinette asks if they can go out to lunch, even if she narrows her eyes suspiciously at the request.

But they never get the chance. Just ten minutes after break ends, Marinette hears the telltale screaming of an akuma attack. Close, too.

“ _LADYBUG!!”_

As her classmates file out of the classroom to follow their teacher to supposedly safer ground, Marinette slips away. In her distracted state, she doesn’t see Adrien duck into the locker room.

Marinette seals herself into an unlocked Janitor’s closet, and opens her purse in the darkness. Tikki’s eyes glow brightly. She floats up and nudges her chosen’s cheeks.

“Thank you, Tikki. Spots On!”

Ladybug kicks down the door and runs out of the emptied school to face the akuma.

“LADYBUG!!” It roars when it sees her. Absently, Ladybug hears the whisper of Chat Noir’s boots touching down next to her. She relaxes marginally, knowing that at least in this, she is not alone.

The akuma is a hulking man, with unusually hairy arms and legs, like that of an animal. He bears the usual butterfly-shaped mask in a rich brown leather. Otherwise his clothes seem almost normal, so Ladybug has no idea where the akuma could be. She guesses it will be related to his powers.

Chat Noir puts his hand on her shoulder, and when she turns to look at him he has a confused expression on his face.

Right, she’s usually first to quip.

“Sorry, Chat, I’ve got a lot on my mind right now.”

He simply nods, and turns back to the unmoving akuma. “Any idea where the akuma might be?”

“No clue. Let’s wait for the introduction before moving in.” The pair settle into defensive stances, seemingly triggering the akuma into speaking.

“I am PAPA BEAR and NO ONE will endanger my children AGAIN,” the akuma roars, staring straight at Ladybug, still unmoving.

“Oh..kay,” Chat says quietly, “still waiting for...”

“Give me your Miraculous so that you will be safe from harm!”

Chat jumps the gun and rounds the back of the akuma. “That’s a little cat-erintuitive, don’t you think? _You’re_ the one after _us_!”

Given how long the akuma has been still, some braver civilians have tried to come closer to the action. Including, to Marinette’s dismay, Alya.

The movement draws Papa Bear’s eye and he yells “GET AWAY!” before swatting at Alya with his furry left arm. Ladybug throws her yo-yo, but Papa Bear manages to touch Alya’s shoulder before she can yank his arm back.

The crowd watches silently as Ladybug holds Papa Bear back with all her might, but Alya is still magically wrapped up into a person-sized fluffy cocoon. Ladybug can just make out the shadows of Alya’s hand hitting the shell with all her might.

In her distraction, Papa Bear yanks his left arm, pulling Ladybug off her feet and into the air. She retracts her yo-yo as Chat Noir catches her midair.

“Okay,” Chat says, a little out of breath, “so don’t let him touch you. Great. Why does a bear akuma have a moth-themed power?”

“Because Hawkmoth, probably,” Ladybug says as Chat retracts his baton and lands them a safe distance from the akuma. Papa Bear is now actively chasing civilians and sealing them in cocoons, but Ladybug notices, only children and teens.

Right outside a huge public school. Perfect.

“Let’s get a closer look at his left hand,” Ladybug says, already outstretching her hand to go after the akuma. “I think he must be wearing something there.”

“Through all that fur?” Chat asks, running after her.

“Yes!” Ladybug yells, yanking the akuma to the ground by her yo-yo wrapped around his waist. “There!” she says to Chat, noticing the glint of silver on his left ring finger.

“On it!” Chat says he bounds to the grounded akuma and wraps his hand solidly around its wrist.

“Wait, No!” Ladybug yells, as Chat is slowly trapped in the same cocoon as the civilians. But then Ladybug notices that the akuma is trying to yank his hand out of the same cocoon - Chat has the akuma's arm trapped.

Affection for her partner washes over Marinette. “Clever kitty,” she whispers, even as dashes over and braces one foot on the akuma’s chest so that Chat succeeds at retrieving the object. What she doesn’t count on is the akuma refocusing on her.

“Ladybug,” Papa Bear growls, “give me your miraculous so I can keep you safe!” Ladybug tries to step away but Papa Bear wraps his right arm around her before she can, and crushes her to his chest.

“Chat!” Ladybug yells desperately, muffled by the akuma. Instantly, the cocoon shatters in a burst of shadow and Chat yanks the akuma to its feet, dislodging Ladybug in the process.

Ladybug swings up to the top of a lamppost to get a better view of the scene, and barely hears Chat’s yell of “Catch!”

But because she’s Ladybug, she does, and swings back down to grab the wedding ring Chat tosses her from where he’s desperately dodging the akuma. When she tries to crush it under her feet, the ring doesn’t budge.

“It’s not breaking!”

“Use Lucky Charm!” Right, of course. Ladybug will have to thank Chat for coming to her rescue so much during this fight.

Tikki’s Lucky Charm returns her a cold thermos. “Really?” She asks no one in particular, as she unscrews the lid, “It couldn’t just be a hammer - oh.” The liquid inside is boiling cold. Liquid nitrogen, if Marinette remembers from her science classes. She dumps the whole container onto the ring and then smashes it with the bottle for good measure.

Sure enough, the akuma floats out, and Ladybug catches it with a quick flick of the wrist. After the white butterfly is out of reach, she scoops up the thermos and throws it into the air with a cry of “Miraculous Ladybug!”

She watches carefully as the ladybugs release Alya from her cocoon before turning back to Chat and the akuma victim who - 

“Oh God...”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien doesn't know what to do. His Lady seems... distracted at best. But all will be answered soon.
> 
> And it's not at all good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a scene missing with Marinette and her parents where she walks her father home and the three of them have a frank discussion about her being Ladybug, but I couldn't find a place for it to fit :(

Chat understands that Ladybug has been off the whole fight. After all, she did say that she felt distracted. But distracted enough not to remember to use her Lucky Charm? 

“Oh God...”

“Ladybug?” 

“I- I can’t believe he just...”

“Are you okay? M’Lady?”

“He...”

“Ladybug, are you-” Chat reached out to place his hand on Ladybug’s shoulder. Big mistake.

She whips around to glare at him, tears brimming in her eyes. Chat’s never seen her like this. “LEAVE!” 

“Wh- What?”

“LEAVE! GO! I’ve got this.” Ladybug turns her back on him to offer a hand to the recently freed akuma victim. After two years of partnership, it only takes him a moment to get it. 

“You know him.”

“Yes,” she whispers harshly, and when she makes eye contact with him the desperation he sees makes him stumble. 

Chat makes a decision. He knows how important her secret identity is. It doesn’t matter that he knows who Tom Dupain is. He will respect her wishes. But he will never leave his lady so suffer alone. “Patrol tonight. No negotiation.”

“Fine,” she grits out, “just let me do this.”

 

* * *

 

When Chat turns back into Adrien, he spends the next several hours of school before patrol trying to figure out what to say. How to comfort her, how to ask without intruding on her identity, what to do more than a hug and a ‘do you want to talk about it.’

He doesn’t get to use any of it.

“Hawkmoth knows my identity,” she says, when they’re within hearing distance, apropos of nothing. And Chat’s heart stops.

“H- What...”

“My- ” Ladybug takes a moment to resettle herself, “Tom. The akuma victim. He figured out my identity. And though he doesn’t remember the attack, he says it’s entirely possible the information was conveyed to Hawkmoth somehow.”

“So you don’t know for sure. You could-”

“There was a card on the door when I got home. In fancy, embossed gold. It was blank.”

“That could be-”

“The envelope was sealed with a butterfly in purple wax.”

Oh wow. That’s... dramatic. Jesus. Chat never thought Hawkmoth was that bad, akuma costumes aside. “So...”

“He has the upper hand. I have _no idea_ what he looks like. He could be any adult. He could be someone I know.”

“But that’s not as likely... right? So you have to watch out for-”

“Suspicious, strange men. Just like every other day of my life.” The statement confuses Chat, for a moment, before he remembers a story Nathalie told him about men on the metro. 

Adrien takes a breath to steel himself. He’s not sure how Ladybug will react to his next idea. “Let me protect you,” he says quietly, with as firmness as his emotional state allows. 

“What, no! Hawkmoth - well, and Tom - are the only people who know, and I’d like it to stay that way. What would happen to my family if a reporter caught you prowling around some civilian’s house? Or walking me to school?”

“It’s better than you being kidnapped in broad daylight! You know I’m no use without you.” 

“That’s not true!” She yells, and her voice cracks. “We’re a _team! Equals!_ ”

“Then let me _help you!”_

_“No!”_

“Ladybug, the _main reason_ you didn’t want us to share our identities is so that _Hawkmoth wouldn’t figure it out._ Well, the worse has happened-” Chat hears a sob, maybe he could have been a bit more delicate with that, “-and now we need to make a game plan. I can protect you at a distance. At the very _least,_ if I know who you are I can sound the alarm when you go missing.”

Ladybug is quiet, looking into the distance, for enough of a time to make Chat nervous he pushed her _way too far._

“Mhr rhhg,” she mumbles, unintelligibly. 

“What?” Chat says, as gently as he can.

“God, you’re right Chat,” she says, finally, and turns back to face him. “Tikki, spots off!”

Chat should be thinking about whether or not someone can see them from this rooftop. He should be wondering if Ladybug should really be doing this in her state of mind. He could even be thinking about how this is all he’s ever wanted. Instead, he watches as his first love turns into his third ever friend - Marinette.

In his moment of shock, Marinette blushes and her eyebrows crush cutely into frustration.

“I knew this was a bad idea-” 

“Marinette,” Adrien breathes. Because this is the Marinette he’s never met. The girl who can stand up to Chloé. The class president. The firestorm with a heart of gold.

Ladybug- and she’s definitely Ladybug right now, with or without the costume - freezes mid-ramble at his voice. “You know my name?”

Chat nods eagerly. “I know you as a civilian. This will make things much easier. I can protect you as, well, me, and then not draw any attention to you.”

“I can take care of myself if all you’re going to do is hover.”

“That’s not it. This way you’re not alone, and we’ll both be looking for the same things. Two heads are better than one.”

Marinette’s eyes narrow in confusion. “How will I know it’s you?”

“Well, I’m-”

“No!” She shouts, as she slaps her hand over his mouth. “If Hawkmoth does get to me, I don’t want to be able to say who you are. You can’t tell me. You can’t even give me any hints.” 

Well. That complicates things. She’s right though. With a meaningful glance from him, she drops her hand. “We’ll make it work. I already said we know each other as civilians, so I just have to not... reveal myself to you.” 

“Okay. I can do this.”

“We can do this.” 

“You should tell my Kwami, though.”

“What?”

“That way, if I do get... kidnapped... my Kwami knows where to go to find Chat Noir.”

“Sounds fair.” It does, actually. Adrien is constantly surprised by how amazingly clever and intelligent his Lady is. How amazing  _Marinette_ is.

“Tikki! Come out!”

“Marinette?” A floating red blob, about Plagg’s size, whips around a nearby chimney and comes to rest in Marinette’s cupped hands. “Are you alright?”

Marinette tosses her head back and laughs. Beautiful. “No,” she says, still giggling while Adrien stares starstruck, “my worst enemy knows my most dangerous secret. I’m not alright. But I will be. Chat Noir and I-” 

“I heard. I think it’s a great idea in a bad situation. Nice to finally meet you, Chat Noir!” It takes Adrien a second to realize the Kwami is like, 3 inches from his face, and just introduced herself. 

He jolts out of his staring and slips back into his Chat body language. “Nice you meet you too, dear Tikki.” He lifts her little hand with his pinky and gives a slight bow in imitation of his usual hand-kiss greeting. The Kwami titters like tinkling bells. 

Still distracted, Chat forgets what he was supposed to do. In the ensuing silence, Marinette wears a amused smile. It reminds him.

“Oh! I forgot. Should we go to a different rooftop... or...” 

Tikki smiles and shakes her head. “I can simply remove your mask if I tweak Plagg’s magic just the slightest... Marinette! Turn around!” 

“What? Oh, yeah, sorry!”

“Now. Hold still,” Tikki says seriously, and Adrien slips into ‘model posture’ and closes his eyes as Tikki touches his forehead. His face tingles. He hears a tiny gasp and opens his eyes to a wide-eyed Kwami with little hands in front of her mouth in shock.

“What?” Adrien whispers

“Nothing!” Tikki squeaks, even though it’s certainly not nothing. Does Marinette really hate him that much?

“Can I turn around?”

“No!” Adrien and Tikki chorus. Tikki reaches out and touches his nose this time, and the mask materializes again on his face.

“Okay, now you can.” When Marinette turns, Chat can see that her face is red, like it always is around Adrien. For a second he worries she might have figured it out some how, but then she gives him this one perfect heartbroken smile and he knows that she loves him the same way she always has.

“So Tikki, now you can tell-”

“Yep! Transform again please!” Adrien _blinks_. Plagg has _never_ been that eager to transform _ever._ Maybe Tikki’s trying to avoid him? What does Marinette say about him that a Kwami he’s just _met_ doesn’t want to be around him? Adrien’s heart falls a little. Maybe it’s a really good idea Marinette doesn’t find out he’s Chat Noir. 

“O-okay? Tikki, spots on!” And then Adrien sees the second most beautiful sight of the night - Marinette turning back into Ladybug.

At first, he only notices that her sequence is a lot shorter than his. The second is that she clearly hasn’t watched a lot of anime - the moves are all pretty simple, and fit in more with Marinette’s personality than Ladybug’s. Then he sees her final, confident, breathtaking pose and falls in love all over again with the way she exudes strength and power. 

He rushes to give her a hug. “Thank you for trusting me,” he says. I love you as you are, he means. 

When she eventually relaxes in his grip, he hears her say, “Thank you for protecting me, Kitty.”

When they part, each offers a simple goodbye before parting ways. There’s no need for a real patrol tonight. They need their rest more.

 

* * *

 

They don't have to wait long. Hawkmoth is a very impatient man.

 

* * *

 

Adrien wakes up the next day early to walk Marinette to school. When he gets to the dining room, his father is already there.

“Adrien. You’re up early.” Only his father could make a simple observation sound like an accusation.

Adrien learned young that if he wants to do something, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission he’ll never receive. With that in mind, he answers with a simple “Yes, Father,” and makes no eye contact. The cook comes in once to bring Adrien his plate of fruit - simple sugars for a growing model who needs to stay stick thin.

Adrien always knew his father was up early, but according to Natalie he usually ate breakfast in the study or on the way to the office. Adrien doesn’t think he can even recall a breakfast they ate together after Mom left.

This is his first clue.

When Adrien tells Gorilla to swing by Marinette’s house to pick her up, the bodyguard acquiesces without a word. As they pull up around the corner, he notices Marinette and her father - the latest Akuma victim (which makes everything that happened yesterday make _sense_ ) - are already walking holding hands.

He’s _really glad_ that Ladybug has a family that loves her and supports her unconditionally. Even if he is just a tad bit jealous.

He tells Gorilla to go around the other way so that Marinette won’t see the car. 

At school Adrien tries to make small talk with her before class starts, but only gets one word answers. Alya pulls him aside to tell him that she’s feeling really down because her father was akumatized yesterday and to let her have space.

But when Adrien glances back at Marinette before class starts, he can see she’s eyeing the door carefully. He chooses to watch the windows. 

Hey, with Hawkmoth, you never know.

The first half of the day passes uneventfully for the most part. There’s a close call during morning break when Chloe does her ‘talking loudly to one person about someone else in the room’ thing about Marinette, but before Adrien can distract her Alya tells Chloe off. Which, while ineffective, does get her to walk to a different place in the court. Adrien manages to worm his way into the conversation when Nino finally distracts Alya with some journalism thing. 

“Marinette?” Adrien starts carefully, aware that he has only one chance with this, “I know today might be rough, but you’re the toughest person I know, okay?”

He’s rewarded with a quick glance. “It wasn’t your fault,” he adds. She sits up quickly to stare at him.

“H- how you did.. did you...”

“Alya told me your father was akumatized yesterday. I just wanted you to know it’s not your fault, whatever happened, and it’s not his fault either. What happened, happened. You’re safe, he’s safe, and the city is safe. Ladybug undid all of the damage with her miraculous cure. There’s nothing to be sorry about, okay?” Adrien tries to reassure her in the most unassuming way possible. He know ‘tomorrow will be better’ doesn’t apply in this situation. He knows exactly why she’s feeling sad and guilty and paranoid, but she can’t know that. So he says what he can so she knows she’s loved and it’s not her fault.

He can’t just say _I love you_. That wouldn’t help at all.

“Okay,” Marinette says, her voice cracking. She clears her throat. “Okay,” she says more clearly, giving him a fragile smile. “Thank you, Adrien.”

“Anytime, Marinette.”

They sit in companionable silence as Alya and Nino devolve into a playful shouting match before they have to return to class.

At lunch, Adrien somehow tricks Alya in to rounding the four of them up for a meal out. 

“My treat,” Adrien adds. They wait in line for half an hour at a crowded café in the 3rd Arrondissement and have to eat on the walk back.

After the 4th time Adrien catches Marinette looking behind her, he curses himself for being dumb. Of course she’d feel safer at home over lunch! She’d be able to protect her parents! She wouldn’t have to keep one eye open for an evil butterfly all the time! Adrien pulls Nino into conversation and seamlessly shifts to the back of the group, pushing Alya to walk next to Marinette. That way she’s boxed in from three sides.

“Hey Marinette!” He asks, none too subtly, meaning that she whips her head over her shoulder mid bite. Instead of letting her respond, Adrien asks, “You told your parents that we’d be going out for lunch, right? I don’t want them to be worried.” 

Marinette nods, but reaches for her phone to text them anyway, which is what he wanted. For her to know they’re okay.

“It’s sweet that you’re worried about her parents, Adrien,” Alya says with a little smirk on her face and in a tone Adrien doesn’t recognize. He does see the little elbow shove Marinette gives her friend though, so he doesn’t respond.

By the time they finish their lunches and get back to school, Marinette seems a little more relaxed.

All of this is ruined when, less than an hour before school ends, Adrien picks up the sound of multiple heavy footsteps walking down the hallway. Too loud to be one student heading to the bathroom, too quiet for an army of akuma. Just in case, Adrien pats his bag to wake up Plagg. When he doesn’t feel any movement, he picks up the bag and drops it hard on the desk.

Though it startles the class, and he gives a soft apology to the teacher, it gives him an excuse to look back at Marinette. She’s frowning, looking at the door, so he assumes she heard the same thing he did. They don’t have to wait 30 seconds before the door opens and-

Gabriel Agreste walks in.

Which, ironically, makes Adrien relax a little. Yes, his father interrupting class is a _really bad thing,_ but it’s not a _supervillain bad thing_.

In all the weird him of being there, and the class going totally quiet, Adrien gets the chance to really observe his father. Who’s smiling. And that’s when he notices that the ascot he’s wearing is a brilliant royal purple, rather than red and white.

This is his second clue.

“Mme. Bustier, I am terribly sorry for the interruption,” his father says, still with an unnerving smile.

“That’s quite alright, Monsieur Agreste. Are you picking up Adrien for an appointment?” the teacher asks hopefully, and even though Adrien knows this is not the case, he hopes as well.

“Actually, I was hoping I could borrow Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Which.

What?

Adrien, like the rest of the class, stares confusedly at Marinette who is becoming continuously redder as the staring goes on. One thing is for sure though from her expression: she was not expecting Gabriel Agreste to kidnap her from class in the middle of the day-

Kidnap.

Oh god.

“Well, I suppose it’s alright so close to the end of the day, and I’m sure Alya can share her notes with Marinette later. Marinette?” The girl in question sits up straight and looks a little like she’s steeling herself for slaughter. But she’s also got a disbelieving look on her face, and just a hint of a smile which she shares with Alya as she passes down the stairs to walk out the door. She has no idea what Adrien is thinking. 

_“He could be someone I know”_

_“Strange men. Just like every other day of my life.”_

_“ **Kidnapped** in **broad daylight!** ”_ 

There is absolutely _no reason_ for Gabriel to take Marinette out of school. His father knows of her, vaguely, from the competitions she’s won. And it makes even less sense for him to need to talk to her so close to the end of the day. He could just wait, like, half an hour and have Nathalie call her house! Unless he didn’t want her to be able to escape, what with half the class watching. But his father can’t be kidnapping her. He _can’t_ be Hawkmoth.

Right?

Just in case, Adrien decides he’s going to do whatever is necessary to be there for their interaction. At worst, he gets home a little early and is scolded for meddling. At best?

At best he saves Ladybug like she’s saved him so many times before.

“Mme. Busier? Can I go home early too? Saves everyone a trip, right?”

“Well, I don’t know if-”

“Adrien, no, you must finish your classes.” That _almost_ shuts Adrien up. _Almost_.

_Grow a spine, Agreste. Your father certainly has one._

“Well, Nino can share his notes with me-” cue Nino’s nodding, _thank you Nino,_ “-and I’d hate for my driver to make the trek here twice-”

“Fine, fine, Adrien come along. Quickly!” Gabriel adds, walking out the door with one hand on Marinette’s shoulder. Which makes Adrien inexplicably disturbed when he sees it. Distracted, he doesn’t say goodbye to Nino or hear what Mme. Bustier says quietly under her breath.

Adrien speeds past Nathalie and the Gorilla so that he can sit in the back of the car. This leaves Gabriel two options: squish with him and Marinette in the back, or sit comfortably in the passenger seat. 

Adrien knows which one he’s going to choose.

On the ride home Nathalie explains that his father is offering Marinette a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a leg up in the fashion world by working directly under him as an intern. She would start when school ended, but today was a trial run.

“I- I-um I don’t mean to be questioning your methods, Monsieur Agreste, but why today? Why now? S-school doesn’t end for a few more months.”

“There’s someone I’d like you to meet today. That is why.” Cryptically, as always.

Adrien tries to give Marinette a comforting shoulder bump, but it only serves to make her redder and more nervous. Maybe she feels weird about the internship? Adrien just feels weird about the whole thing. Who could possibly be at the office that Marinette would need to meet?

Adrien starts when they pull up far too quickly- at the mansion. “We’re not going to the office?”

“No, Adrien. The person I want Marinette to meet is here.” Who could possibly be at the mansion? It’s always empty. Father never has guests because they intrude on his personal boundaries.

This is the third clue.

The five of them walk up the stairs and through the double doors into the atrium. Marinette seems to come out of her shell a bit- she, like Nino, looks at the house in awe where Adrien only sees loneliness. Though she’s been here before as Ladybug, Adrien of all people knows that even home is different viewed through the eyes of battle.

“Adrien, go to your room. Marinette and I have business to discuss.”

Adrien's eyes widen at the his father's directness as he scrambles for an excuse. “Can I give her the tour first?” 

“There will be time for that later. Now-”

“Actually,” Marinette interrupts sheepishly, though through Chat’s eyes it looks like Ladybug might be dialing up the ‘bashful’ factor on purpose, “I would like to know where the restroom is.” 

“I’ll show her! This way!” Adrien interjects, before Nathalie can give the straightforward directions to the one on this floor. Adrien leads Marinette up the stairs and starts to pull her down the hallway when she turns up her Ladybug strength and drags him into an alcove. 

“What are-” he starts to say, when she covers his mouth.

“Shh. He’ll hear us.”

“I’m guessing you don’t actually need to use the bathroom,” he whispers when she lifts her hand.

Marinette gives him the look Ladybug usually gives Chat when he’s just put his foot in his mouth. Which, accurate. “Tell me honestly: did you have any idea this was coming?”

Ah. She’s starting to be suspicious, like Adrien is.

“No. I had no idea that Gabriel Fashion even _offered_  lycée-age internships.”

“And this _guest?_ ”

“Father never lets _anyone_ stay in the mansion since Mom died. He never even hinted- I have no idea who it could possibly be. I’m just as surprised as you are.”

Marinette nods, like she expected this. But how could she? She looks up at Adrien, and gives him a sad small smile. Then she faces the ground, and closes her eyes. Takes one deep breath.

“Adrien,” Marinette says, still with her eyes closed, “I need you to take my earrings.”

“Wh- what?” She wants him to take her MIRACULOUS?!? IS SHE _NUTS?!?_

“Please, don’t ask questions. Just... take them, and keep them safe. They’re an... heirloom. Don’t tell anyone that you have them. Please. You’re the only person I trust with this.”

“I don’t-”

“Adrien.” Marinette has steel in the edge of her voice, ice in the frosty gaze of her eyes. She is unmistakably Ladybug now. “Take my earrings. Do not tell anyone that you have them. Not Nino. Not Alya. Not your father. Understand?” 

She presses the miraculous into his clammy palm, and his fingers tighten like vice grips. She takes off without a word, presumably to face his father, who she believes is Hawkmoth.

Who, if Adrien is being honest with himself, at this point probably _is_ Hawkmoth. It would explain a lot. The safe, the book, all the patchy lies of this afternoon’s random kidnapping.

Adrien takes a moment to peek at Ladybug’s miraculous: active, with red and black spots, meaning that Tikki is safely tucked away. He stuffs the earrings into the pocket of his jeans and ducks out of the alcove-

-right into his father’s chest. 

“Sorry, Father. I’m heading to my room to play video games. See you later, Marinette!” Adrien calls, speedwalking away.

“Bye, Adrien!” Marinette calls with fake cheer.

Adrien dodges Nathalie and slides into his room and locks the door. He lets Plagg out, who unsurprisingly napped through the whole thing, and flicks the Kwami in the head and holds out Ladybug’s Miraculous.

Plagg goes from indignant to terrified in an _instant._

 

* * *

 

“But you’re not sure.”

“Yes! No! I don’t- Ladybug wasn’t either, I don’t think, but she trusted _Adrien-_ ”

“We don’t have time for your stupid obsession with girls! Look, you need to find out if your father really is Hawkmoth, and if he is, where he’s taken Ladybug.” 

“I don’t know how to do that. I can’t tell what’s going on in my own home. I don’t even know if he made up that thing about a guest-”

“But you can figure it out.”

It dawns on Adrien. “No, better. I know someone who can _tell me_.”

Adrien leans against the door and listens for footsteps. Then he unlocks the door and checks quickly to see if anyone is in the hallway. The coast is clear.

“Wait!” Plagg says from within his shirt, “put on Ladybug’s miraculous!”

“What?” Adrien whispers, “No! I’m going to give them back.”

“Adrien, you’re safer with both active than just holding one on your person. Plus, we could need Tikki for this.”

“But... my ears aren’t even pierced.” 

“Look at the miraculous again.” Adrien opens his palm. The earrings- he swore they were earrings a second ago - are now simple silver cufflinks with red ladybug jewels in the center. Adrien quickly twists them inside-out onto his shirtsleeves. A white light glows in front of him, and all of a sudden Tikki comes rushing at his face screaming. Adrien stumbles back into his room.

“AaaaaaAAAAH- Oh, Adrien! Thank goodness!” Tikki stops her assault inches in front of his face. He’s unsure either Kwami has heard of personal space.

“Tikki, hide quickly!”

“But-”

“We’re going to find Marinette! Plagg is in my shirt pocket-”

“-and I’ll be in your collar. Good luck! And remember- Ladybug’s transformation phrase is ‘Spots On!’ Okay?”

Satisfied that the Kwami are well hidden, Adrien creeps quietly to the dining room down the hall where he knows Nathalie works most of the time. He takes the path that doesn’t pass his father’s study, even if he can’t hear any voices from there.

“Nathalie!” Adrien coughs out.

“Yes?” She says at normal volume, not even glancing at him.

“Did you know there was a guest here?”

She pauses and looks at him. Really looks at him, in an unnerving way. She must read some sort of desperation or honesty or what have you on his face, because she - luckily for Adrien - drops her shoulders and shakes her head no. “I had no idea. It wasn’t on his schedule, there’s no meeting, and this whole business with Marinette is just... strange.”

Then something must occur to Nathalie. “You don’t think he’d...” She trails off. 

“He’d what, Nathalie.”

“He’d... just... take her to...” Her face scrunches up uncomfortably. She looks like she just ate something truly terrible but can’t spit it out. 

Seeing that she’s not going to be finishing her sentences anytime soon, Adrien goes for the kill. ”We better check, just in case.” 

“You’re right.” Nathalie gets up from the table. Adrien gears up for a fight and heads in the direction of the study. “Adrien!” Nathalie whispers harshly. “This way!”

“The office is this way?” He asks confusedly.

“Yes, but the security panel is this way.”

Of course. Why didn’t Adrien think of it earlier! They can use the security cameras to find his father and Marinette and see what’s going on. In his eagerness to know the truth, Adrien speedwalks to the panel and catches up with Nathalie.

After a long pause while Adrien tries to understand what Nathalie’s doing, the assistant breathes out a frustrated sigh.

“What?” 

“It’s not working. I can lock the house, or open doors, but I can’t view the cameras. My security profile isn’t high enough.”

“But maybe mine is,” Adrien offers. “Show me.” 

A hand scan and several clicks later, they can see live feeds from the whole house. Adrien always had to be careful to avoid the external cameras when leaving as Chat Noir. It was why he never exited through the front door, among other reasons. 

Nathalie gasps. “What? What? I don’t see anything!” Adrien says.

“That’s just it,” Nathalie says, “they’re not on any of the camera feeds. Not even in the bedroom.”

Adrien’s confused. “Why would they be in father’s bedroom?”

And there’s the foot-in-mouth face from Nathalie this time. Whatever, they can deal with that later. “Does this record?” Adrien asks. 

“Yes, here. What room?”

Adrien thinks about the safe. He thinks about Mom’s attic that’s now sealed from the outside. “That one,” Adrien points at the study, a camera that’s angled to show the painting on the back wall and shows a little of the painting of Mom that covers the safe.

“Let’s try 10 minutes back,” Nathalie offers, sliding something on the podium that rewinds the footage. When she lifts up her hand - it’s clear.

The footage has stopped on a moment. A damning moment. Even if their expressions are hard to make out, the body language is clear as day. Gabriel, standing over Marinette, with an iron grip on her arm, pushing her towards a hidden opening behind the second painting. 

Nathalie gasps. Adrien closes his eyes to compose himself. 

  1. His father is Hawkmoth
  2. Ladybug is in a secret room with Hawkmoth
  3. Ladybug doesn’t have her Miraculous to defend herself



“Wait 20 minutes, then call the police.”

“Wh- What? Adrien, why?”

Adrien breaks into a run. “Just do it!” He calls over his shoulder. He has to save Ladybug.

He dives into the study and reaches for the painting. It doesn’t budge. “OPEN SESAME!” Adrien yells, desperately. He pushes in different places, pulls on the edges. No such luck.

“Think, Adrien, think!” He mutters to himself. The Kwami emerge from their hiding places.

“Don’t give up!” Tikki calls.

“I could phase through,” Plagg offers, “but I don’t know if I would be able to open it from the inside, and you’d lose the element of surprise.” 

“No,” Adrien says, “there has to be another way in. After all, how do the akuma get out? They don’t just fly out the office window-”

“Window!” Tikki says. “The room has to have a window!”

Of course. Mom loved the attic because there was a huge window left over from the roof solarium the previous owners built. “Right. Plagg, Claws out!” 

“Wait- no-”

Adrien slips through the transformation quickly, foregoing the final pose. However he notices- “I still have Ladybug’s miraculous on my gloves.” 

“Yes,” Tikki says, “and you can use both of them, if you really need to.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes. Just say-”

“Tikki, Spots on!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for Marinette to face her fears. 
> 
> For the good of Paris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of overlap here, where we get to see Marinette come home after patrol, and how she deals with the next day before we catch up to Adrien.

After what passed for patrol that night, Marinette transforms in the alley beside the bakery before walking in through the front door her parents left unlocked. She finds them waiting for her in the kitchen, talking quietly, even though it’s far past their early bedtime. 

They look up when she comes in, and she tries to give them a reassuring smile, but she knows it doesn’t come out as strong as she’d like. They both come up and give her a hug. 

“It’s okay,” she says quietly, because it is. She’s got Chat in her corner. And after all is said and done, if they make it through this, Hawkmoth will be gone. Forever.

“I’m so sorry little one,” her father says through his tears.

“It’s not your fault,” Marinette adds. “It’s mine.” 

“Honey-”

“No, really, I should have been more careful and-”

“How difficult it must have been for you to keep this from us,” Sabine whispers.

“I didn’t want to,” Marinette mumbles, “but I did it to keep this from happening.”

“We know, sweetheart, we know, shhh...”

After a minute more of silent reassurance, the family sits back down with Marinette leaning on the table.

“Can I-” Marinette begins to laugh quietly. “Do we have any leftover cookies for Tikki?” As if called by her name, Tikki phases through Marinette’s bag to rest in her waiting palms.

Her parents are only a little startled at the Kwami, who they’ve met once before. “Is that where all those sweets have gone?” Sabine says jokingly, as she rises to grab a plate of cookies from the kitchen counter.

When she settles the tray on the table, Tikki floats up and gives Sabine a quick kiss on the forehead before dragging the tray behind Marinette. Faint crunching sounds can be heard. After a moment of tense awkward silence, Sabine begins giggling. Eventually, the three breakout into full laughter.

“It’s just so absurd!” Tom says when they quiet down a little.

“What is?” Marinette asks, still giggling.

“All of it!” Tom exclaims, raising his hands. “The magic, and the overdramatic card, and you, our sweet beautiful daughter, even stronger than we ever knew.”

“Papa...” Marinette groans, embarrassed. Tikki takes a break from her refueling to bump against Marinette’s cheek and settle onto her shoulder for a nap.

“He’s right Marinette,” Sabine adds, “we may not _like_ that you risk your life everyday for Paris, but it’s a part of who you are, isn’t it?”

Marinette looks down, abashed. “It is,” she says after a while.

“Well then I guess there’s no stopping you,” Sabine says. She wears a sad smile when Marinette looks up.

“Enough about you, Super Marinette, what did Chat Noir say?” Tom interrupts, trying to break the somber mood.

That makes Marinette chuckle again. “I told him who I was. He said he’s going to try and protect me from afar tomorrow. Watch my back, or something. It was... sweet. But I’m glad he knows now. One way or another, the fight with Hawkmoth is going to come to an end, and soon.”

“We just want you to be safe, Marinette.”

“And I will be. But I’m worried about you too. He knows where we live, now. He could just as easily come after you in broad daylight.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sabine says in a conspiratorial tone, “I think the people of Paris would be pretty upset if Hawkmoth kidnapped their favorite bakers in broad daylight. Don’t worry about us. During the day we’ll be in the bakery with plenty of witnesses. And if an akuma attacks, we know you’ll be there too.”

 

* * *

 

“Marinette, wait!” Tom shouts, pulling on a jacket, as Marinette walks out the front door of the busy bakery the next morning to head to school. “Let me walk you,” Tom asks, guiding Marinette outside past the line.

“What about the bakery?”

“Your mother can handle it. After all, it’s only a block.” Marinette gases up at the worried face of her father, and decides that the comfort is more for him than her. She laces their fingers together.

“Okay, Papa.”

Marinette glances over her shoulder no less than five times on the short walk.

 

* * *

 

At school, Marinette scans every room for new adults, but everyone she sees is a familiar face. Alya luckily mistakes her wariness (it’s not paranoia if someone is actually out to get you) for sadness, or frustration, or something, and appoints herself as Marinette Protector for the day. It would be sweet if it wasn’t going to get Alya hurt sometime.

She’d feel mortified that Alya told Adrien what happened (or Alya’s version of what happened) if she didn’t already know she won’t be able to handle any Adrien Attention™ today.

Which is exactly what happens anyway, because Adrien is too nice to see someone hurting and leave them alone.

How did he know _exactly_ what she needed to hear? It’s _Adrien_. He’s like that with everyone.

The appearance of Gabriel Agreste was more than a little surprising, but not unwelcome really. Isn’t this what she’s always wanted? To work under her favorite designer in the world? That’s what she keeps telling herself each time she hears another warning bell go off in her head. She feels marginally better knowing that Adrien in the car with her, but at the same time.

Squished into a car with _Adrien. Adrien’s thigh against hers. Their arms always brushing. His lips so close to her ear._

It’s a LOT for Marinette to handle in one day. Especially that pouty, confused face Adrien’s been wearing since he learned they weren’t going to the office but straight home.

Marinette’s been in Adrien’s house - twice as Ladybug, and once as Marinette. It always seemed big to her, so it’s not surprising to Marinette that there would be more people staying there than Adrien and his father, even if Adrien does seem confused about something.

Her heart breaks a little for Adrien when he’s abruptly dismissed from whatever conversation they’re about to have about internships, or something.

And this is where Marinette starts to get a clue.

Before she gets separated from the group she asks, “Actually, I would like to know where the restroom is?” She tries to look more sheepish than usual, even if she’s truly really angry right now.

But before she can make any rash... judgements... she drags Adrien into an alcove just out of view. Before he can speak and give them away, she covers his mouth with her hand.

“Shh. He’ll hear us.”

Adrien’s eyes turn hard. She takes her hand away. “I’m guessing you don’t actually need to use the bathroom.” She gives him an unimpressed look she wouldn’t dare direct his way without this much adrenaline in her system. Half of her is freaking out that she just dragged her crush off to have her way with him.

The other half is freaking out that his father might be Hawkmoth and just kidnapped her from school.

Probably.

“Tell me honestly,” she asks, channeling as much Ladybug as she can muster, “did you have any idea this was coming?”

Adrien’s answer confirms her worst fears.

At least her parents are okay. They texted her just after lunch telling her everything was fine.

And maybe it’s the adrenaline - maybe it’s that he’s the only person she really knows in the room - and maybe it’s her crush, but something tells her, right now, that Adrien is someone she can trust with her biggest secret. She doesn’t have time to explain, but Tikki does. And barring that she hopes that Adrien’s intuition will tell him to get as far away as possible.

Marinette relaxes the arm she pressed Adrien against the wall with, and takes a deep breath. She hopes Tikki will forgive her.

Making quick work of her earrings Marinette pries Adrien’s left hand open and places them in his palm. “Take my earrings. Do not tell anyone you have them. Not Nino. Not Alya. Not your father. Understand?” Before she can take in the expression on his face, Marinette beelines for the Atrium hopefully to give Adrien the time to get away. In her hurry she passes M. Agreste but doesn’t have time to stop him before Adrien physically bumps into his father.

Luckily, Adrien makes a quick getaway. “Bye, Adrien!” Marinette cheers, hoping to get M. Agreste off his son’s trail. 

As soon as Adrien disappears up the stairs, M. Agreste turns his whole focus on Marinette.

It’s terrifying. Nathalie and Adrien’s Bodyguard might still be in the room, but she can tell that M. Agreste doesn’t have an ounce of attention on them. Marinette drops her eyes and keeps her hands by her side by force of will. Covering her bare ears now will only draw attention to them. 

“Follow me, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. Nathalie, we will be in the office and not to be disturbed.”

Marinette barely picks up the quiet “yes, sir” over the thumping of her heart.

 

* * *

 

As they walk silently to what Marinette presumes will be an evil lair, she has only a moment to decide how she’d going to play it. 

Should she call him out now, and risk that he has no clue about her involving Adrien?

Should she question his predatory behavior, or ask to leave the door open, but not directly mention Hawkmoth?

Or should she play dumb and wait to see if Chat Noir really has her back this time? He said that he knew her in civilian life, so he probably knows she’s missing by now. It won’t take him long to figure out where to go if he asks her classmates directly. 

She can’t do this without him.

“This way,” M. Agreste says, interrupting her planning, and holding the door open like a perfect gentleman. Or a supervillain who wants to block the only exit.

Marinette chooses to say nothing and wait. Given the pattern of akuma, it’s entirely possible that Hawkmoth will lay out his whole plan before he even makes a move. She stops by the doorway as M. Agreste passes her and heads to... an extremely gorgeous painting at the other end of the room.

“The man I’d like you to meet,” M. Agreste says, as he feels his way down the right side of the painting, “is just through here.”

“A painting?” Marinette can’t keep herself from asking. So much for the meek little girl routine.

“A secret door, actually,” M. Agreste says, and when it swings open to reveal a darkly lit attic with a very obvious butterfly motif solarium window and hundreds of sleeping white butterflies covering every surface, Marinette is taken aback. 

She might have known it was coming. But knowing that your favorite fashion designer _might_ have a secret lair in his huge fancy mansion and _seeing_ it are two different things. It’s not like Marinette isn’t scared; she’s walking willingly into the hardest fight she’ll ever face, and without her miraculous to boot. But it’s all so...

Tacky. 

The thought of Gabriel Agreste ever being tacky almost gets Marinette to giggle, despite the circumstances. Maybe the adrenaline is getting to her.

When M. Agreste puts his hand on her arm and ushers her into the secret solarium hideout he’s clearly spent years making as butterfly themed as possible, Marinette steps over the threshold with her head held high. 

Because this is getting ridiculous, and she doesn't know what else to do. 

And when M. Agreste swarms the peaceful butterflies with a coarse “Dark wings, Rise!” and reveals the - surprisingly creepy, and a little too much like a Luchador for Marinette’s taste - costume of none other than Hawkmoth, Marinette can hold it back no longer.

She laughs.

Gabriel - she can’t stand calling him Hawkmoth through all this disarming tackiness, and honestly, M. Agreste is not a title he deserves - tilts his cane into his left hand and frowns disapprovingly. 

Marinette keeps laughing. She takes in the high, pointed lapels and the shiny silver -

Hawkmoth stabs the sharp point of his cane into the ground in front of her, startling her into silence with a single hiccup.

“You knew,” he says only, eyes narrowed through the holes of his creepy skintight Luchador mask.

Focus, Marinette. You’re Ladybug with and without the miraculous.

“Only just now,” she says truthfully, trying to keep eye contact. “But you were either going to be Hawkmoth or a child molester, so I was banking on this outcome.” Gabriel at least has the mortification to back up after that comment. Good. Marinette is going to keep him on his toes until Chat Noir arrives.

Anytime now, Chat.

“I-”

“Save it, I’m not sure I want to believe anything you say about personal integrity right now.”

Hawkmoth smartly chooses to say nothing.

“Why did you bring me here?” Marinette asks, actually curious. Because he could have attempted to take her miraculous anytime in the last two minutes, but hasn’t yet. Which means either he craves drama more than he cares about his evil plan, or there’s more going on here. 

“I wanted to explain,” Gabriel says. 

“Why you’re terrorizing Paris?” Marinette asks cheekily. 

“Why I need the Black Cat and Ladybug miraculous.”

“Let me guess. Ultimate power.” Because really, what else does a supervillain want. 

“Not quite.”

Marinette remains quiet. What else could he possibly want?

“I assume after Ladybug’s - your - actions last christmas that you care deeply about my son.”

Marinette blushes. Say what you want about facing a supervillain head on - she’s not prepared to talk about this with _Adrien’s father oh my GOD._

Gabriel continues, “Do you know what happened to his mother?”

“She died when he was 12,” Marinette offers after clearing her throat.

“Yes.” Gabriel pauses, still staring at Marinette.

Confused at the lack of continuation, Marinette asks, “What does this-”

With no warning, Chat Noir slips through the open center of the solarium window. He lands harshly on both feet, eyes blazing.

No, really, his eyes are blazing. An electric purple energy emanates from his whole being. At first glance, backlit by the Parisian sky through the solarium window, he looks no different, despite his angry posture. But as Marinette’s eyes adapt she notices that some of the panels of Chat’s usual costume have been replaced with those from hers- striking red panels and her trademark black dots. Chat clenches his fists in anger and Marinette notices that he’s already activated Cataclysm in his right hand. But around his left - a swarm of glowing ladybugs and the telltale pink color of Tikki’s magic. There's a faint swirl of golden magic weaving around him too, like the physical manifestation of nervous energy.

Of course. Adrien must have sought out Chat when he arrived and given him the earrings. Tikki must have explained what to do.

“Marinette, run!” Chat yells, as he charges for Gabriel.

“Wait!” Marinette shouts, as something about the previous conversation dawns on her. Gabriel, already posed to strike, turns to her. “You, what, wanted the miraculous to bring your dead wife back?”

Chat stops cold, but Marinette doesn’t notice.

Gabriel answers, “I only ever wanted Adrien to have the parent I could never be. And I miss her desperately.”

“No.” Marinette says, brows furrowed in concentration. Something doesn’t fit.

Gabriel scoffs, “Of course you would say no. Why do you think I’ve been trying to _take-”_

“Would it work?” comes the quiet voice from across the room.

“What?” Gabriel asks. 

“Can the miraculous bring her back?” 

Gabriel startles at the sound of Chat Noir’s question. “I wouldn’t have worked so hard to get them if they didn’t.”

“Chat...” Marinette whispers, drawing his glowing gaze to hers. She can’t believe...

No, of course she can. She was always too blinded by the idea of _Adrien Agreste_ to see it. But now that Gabriel Agreste is no more than a tacky supervillain grieving his dead wife, it’s hard _not_ to see it.

Chat’s asking if the miraculous can revive Mme. Agreste because Chat is _Adrien_ Agreste, and he misses his mom too.

Marinette is just going to have to trust her partner. Because right now, he has all the power.

“You both know how the world works,” Marinette begins placatingly, “people we love die for horrible, terrible reasons. And we miss them, and we wish they were back with us, but they can’t be.”

“They _can,_ ” Gabriel stresses.

“No,” Marinette says quietly. “They can’t. Because the natural order of the world is that people are born, and people die. The miraculous _keep_ the order; they keep the balance between living and dead. If the balance is upset, the whole world goes crazy.”

“It doesn’t _have to_ ” Gabriel growls.

“Yes, it does,” Marinette snaps back, suddenly angry. “You read the same book I did. You know what happens if the miraculous are used to bring someone back.” 

“It would be _worth it._ Don’t you get it? She was a better person that I ever will be.”

“But you’re here, and she isn’t.” Gabriel doesn’t reply.

Chat - Adrien, now, Marinette has to believe - hasn’t spoken through the whole exchange. Marinette deeply regrets never bringing Chat Noir with her to sessions with the Great Guardian. Because he’s never seen (well, read) firsthand what damage the combined miraculous can wreak.

The combined miraculous he’s still wielding.

“Chat?” Marinette prompts. When he doesn’t speak, she steps towards him, only to run straight into Hawkmoth’s staff blocking her path. Gabriel is staring intently at Chat, but Chat is looking only at her.

“Adrien,” Gabriel says, awed. It seems he’s finally figured out who is behind the mask. Adrien closes his glowing eyes.

“I miss her too,” Adrien chokes out. Marinette’s breath catches. Oh no. “But I trust Marinette more than I trust you right now Father. And if she says that bringing Mom back wreaks havoc on the world then I can’t do it.”

The next second is hard to parse. Adrien drops Ladybug’s transformation. Gabriel lunges at his son, staff raised to strike. Adrien grabs his baton to block the downward blow. Tikki spirals into Marinette, who just barely catches her.

Marinette is frozen with fear and sadness, watching Adrien - her partner, her best friend, her crush - barely block every blow from his own angry father. It takes several tries for Tikki to get through to her. 

“-nette! You have to get him to transform again! Please!”

“What? Why? Isn’t that more of a risk?” 

“The only way to stop this is to take Hawkmoth’s miraculous. With them fighting there’s no way you can get to the earrings to transform and help him, and Chat Noir cannot do this alone. The combined power is enough to-”

“Yeah,” Marinette says absently, “or I could just do _this_.” 

Marinette drops Tikki, who floats after Marinette. Marinette waits for her moment and-

Pounces. Like a freaking koala. No one said it was going to be _elegant_.

Marinette just manages to get an arm around Gabriel’s neck and a hand on his miraculous before Hawkmoth realizes he’s been attacked by ninety pounds of teenage girl. In the surprise, Chat knocks Gabriel’s staff out of his hand and points his baton directly at Gabriel’s forehead. 

There’s a tense moment when everyone is in stalemate. Marinette is hanging on for dear life, choking Gabriel with her hold. He has one gloved hand stopping her from removing the miraculous. Chat is poised to strike, but Gabriel still has one hand free to block.

Then the wall caves in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost forgot to add this!
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=2cy5qg4)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all over. For better or worse, it's all over.

Adrien doesn’t realize that he’s been holding his baton at empty air for the past who knows how long until Roger Raincomprix - Rogercop, Sabrina’s Dad, and Paris police chief - puts a hand on his shoulder and nudges him to sit down. He looks past the unform to see Marinette with Hawkmoth’s staff in her hands, talking to an officer.

He still can’t get those eyes out of his head. 

His father’s eyes showing real fear. Because of _him._

There’s nothing Adrien has ever wanted more than his parent’s love and attention. But in the past half hour he’s had to come to terms with some terrible truths: 

  1. His father has tried to kill him many times. Both using other people, and just now, with his own two hands, knowing Adrien was under the mask.
  2. His mother is gone. She’s never going to come back, magical powers or no.
  3. His father is gone, too. Lost in devotion and rage and not likely to come back, either.



It’s a lot to deal with, and Adrien isn’t too sure he’s dealing with it. Marinette makes eye contact with him and just like that the world comes rushing back.

Marinette hands the officer the staff and rushes over to him just as he stands. She hugs like Ladybug - strong and warm and all-consuming. Adrien realizes this is because she is Ladybug.

They’re both crying. Joy, sadness, relief, it doesn’t matter. They’re in this together, the two of them. They’ll have a lot to talk about tomorrow, but right now, in this moment, Adrien does have a family. And she loves him back. 

Over the noise of the police sirens, and all the yelling, and his own sobs, Adrien hears Marinette mutter a garbled thank you. 

“What for, my Lady?” Adrien asks, though he knows it probably doesn’t come out sounding that way. 

Marinette smiles against his skin. “For trusting me, and saving me.” Adrien hugs her tighter. 

 

* * *

 

The next few hours are grueling and exhausting. Adrien gives his statement as Chat Noir to a handful of policemen selected by Chief Raincomprix, all while stealing glances at the man who used to be his father. Gabriel looks bone-weary like Adrien has never seen him. Gone is the poise and perfect posture of a man who has everything completely under his control. Marinette took his miraculous after Chief Raincomprix cleared the room, so there’s no mask to hide the real person underneath.

Nathalie sits in a chair in the corner of the room along with an officer, both women bent over a tablet. Nathalie tries to send him comforting smiles, but Adrien doesn’t have the energy to return them.

Marinette leans against his shoulder where he hasn’t moved from the floor in what has to have been several hours. He’s long since returned Marinette’s miraculous to her, but she hasn’t transformed. Tikki hides in Marinette’s purse. They made a silent agreement not to mention Kwami. Marinette turns the butterfly miraculous over and over in her hands rhythmically, probably trying to stay calm.

The officers still haven’t decided whether or not to take Gabriel to the police station when a short asian man in a red hawaiian shirt busts through the crime scene line. The officer working with Nathalie tries to stop him but Marinette gets up and hugs him and the officer lets the man go. Her parents follow in behind. 

“Adrien,” The man asks, suddenly close, “do you remember me?”

Adrien takes a moment to study his face. He feels like he’s seen him before while wandering the city, but not that they’d ever met. Adrien shakes his head. The man smiles like he knows a secret. 

Adrien is kind of sick of secrets.

“It’s alright,” the man says, as Marinette walks over from hugging her parents, “you helped me up when I’d fallen, on your first day of school.”

Adrien remembers. 

“Hey Chat,” Marinette says carefully, “I think you should come with me and Fu. Plagg’s probably pretty tired by now. Do you want to get out of here?”

Adrien takes another glance at his father, hands cuffed behind his back, staring out the window at the fading sunset.

When Marinette offers her hand to help him up, he takes it.

 

* * *

 

A criminal trial doesn’t come for months later. The City of Paris does eventually decide to charge Gabriel for the crimes of Hawkmoth, but he gets away with less than a year of jail time and a large fine. 

It’s enough for Adrien’s life to change, even if it’s not enough for the angry people of Paris.

Adrien is legally placed in Nathalie’s care until he turns 18. As much as Adrien cares about her and her for him, Nathalie finds it difficult to be a mother. Adrien lives the rest of the year of lycée with Marinette and her parents. He stops modeling and piano, but keeps fencing and Mandarin because he likes both. 

Gabriel Fashion is entirely ruined by its founder’s reputation as a supervillain, and the mansion is sold to cover legal costs. Adrien discovers he has an untouchable trust fund that will be awarded to him when he turns 18. He plans on giving as much of it as he can get away with to the Dupain-Chengs who have loved and supported him since the fight.

Adrien visits his father in jail as much as he can stomach, which is less often than he’d like. Even if Adrien knows that his father is too far gone to ever love him the way he wants, they’re each other’s missing link to his mother. And it’s hard to give up on family, sometimes.

When school ends Marinette and Adrien are given time limits on their miraculous. Without Hawkmoth, it’s much too dangerous for both to be active.

Ladybug and Chat Noir never reveal their identities, and disappear without a trace.

Marinette and Adrien, however, remain partners in everything from school to work to life to eventually romance.

And even if it isn’t a _happily ever after?_ It’s a damn good one.


End file.
